Latch for doors



G. W. WELLS LATCH FOR DOORS March 17, 1936.

Filed March 26, 1955 Patented Mar'. 17,A 1936 UNITED STATES4 LATCH FORDOORS George W. Wells, Amesbury, Mass.

Application March 26,

20 Claims.

- This invention relates to latches which are primarily 'designed foruse in connection with doors of automobile bodies and which, in somerespects, may be considered as an improvement on the construction of myprior Patent No. 1,738,338 of December 3rd, 1929, in which thelamb-engaging member of the latch is provided with a rigid projection,which performs the function of a door holder, or dovetail, and

1o which is also adapted to be locked against opening in a multiplicityof positions.

The primary objects of my invention are to provide a construction havingall the advantages of said prior construction, and which will l5 be lessdifficult to manufacture, so that the cost of manufacture may be reducedand also will be more durable, and will not beaifected by wear, so thatreplacements will not be necessary after long periods of use.

I accomplish these objects by means of the construction hereinafterdescribed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a combined side elevation and sectional view of a portion of adoor-and its jamb, provided with a latch embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section at line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views at line 3 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view at line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a portion of the edge of the door. f

Fig. '7 is a detail view of a portion of the latch 5 operating means.

Fig. 8 is a detail View of the locking and remote control means.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the handle operating means.

Figs. 10 and l1 are detail sectional views at line' IU--Il of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of one offthe striker plates.

Fig. 13 is a detail view at line I3-|3 of Fig. 3.

AIn the drawing, a portion of a door I4 and its jamb I6 are indicated,and, as it willvbe understood that the door swings horizontally onhinges in the usual manner, further illustration thereof will beunnecessary.

The door is provided with the usual channel shaped metal edge pillar I8and the latch operating means 'are mounted on a similarly shaped metalcasing which is fitted into and secured to the inner side of saidpillar.

A rigid, rectangularly shaped projection 22 is 1935, Serial No. 13.032

permanently connected by welding to the middle portion of casing 20 andextends through a similarly shaped aperture formed in the face or middleside of the pillar I8, which forms the edge of the door, as shown inFigs. l, 2, 5 and 6, said projection 22 having a horizontal bottom facewhichis arranged to engage the supporting face of the striker casing ashereafter more fully described, so that the door will be rigidlysupported thereby when closed. V

The top portion of projection 22 which extends beyond the outer side ofpillar i8 is cut away, forming a notch having a horizontal top face 23and a vertical end face 2d thereon which is,

approximately u'sh with the outer surface of the pillar I8, as shown inFig. l. and a recess 25 is formed in said projection which extends fromthe inner side of casing 2U and terminates at the front wall of saidprojection, said recess having a semi-cylindrical bottom and verticalsides extending to the top surface 23, so that the recess 25 opens tothe top side and inner end of the projection, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and5. A cam shaft 26, of the same diameter as that of the bottom of saidrecess 25 is rotatably mounted on the bottom thereof, and one sideportion of said shaft, which extends from itsouter end to the face 2li,is cut away to form a recess 21 therein and an approximately radiallydisposed cam face or shoulder 28. The inner end portion 29 of shaft 26is rigidly connected to the middle of a at plate 30, which is located inclose proximity to the inner side of the middle or bottom portion of thecasing 20, and extends at each side thereof to form a pair of oppositelyextending arms, one of which is provided with a rigid lug 3l and theother of which is provided with a rigid lug 32, as shown in Figs. 1, 2,5 and '7.y A square shaft 3H, having a handle 35 on its outer endexternally of the door, is mounted in a bushing 36, which is rotatablymounted in the outer side of casing 20 (see Fig. 2) and an arm 38 isrigidly connected to the inner end of said shaft by a screw 39 (Fig. 9),said arm. having itsend portion arranged to engage the lug 3l on plate20, so that when shaft 34 is rotated by its handle 35, the shaft 26 willbe rotated toa limited extent.

A vertically movable latch member :40 is mounted in the notch on the topside of projection 22, andwhen in the lowest position thereof its bottomside rests on the face 23 and its rear edge engages the end face 24, sothat it completely lls the notch,.and a pair of guiding pins 42 aresecured to and projected vertically from the under side of said member,said pins being slidably mounted in holes 43 formed in the sides ofprojection 22, so that. said member is rigidly held against horizontalmovement relative to said projection and is guided thereby in itsvertical movements, the sides of said pins each having a flattenedportion to form shoulders 44, which are arranged to engage stop pins 45xed in the projection 22 (see Fig. 13), to limit the upward movement ofsaid latch member and provide a permanent connection with the projection22. The top surface 46 of the member 40 is horizontal and extends forthe length and width thereof and the under side of said member 46 has atransverse projection 48 depending therefrom having a shoulder 49 at oneend, which is arranged for engagement by the cam face 26 on the shaft26, and a concave face on its lower end, corresponding in curvature tothat of the surface of said shaft, the arrangement being such that whenthe parts are in the position of Fig. 4 and the shaft 26 is then turnedto the position of Fig. 3, pressure of face 28 againstshoulder 49 willcause the latch member 40 to be raised to the position of Fig. 3, inwhich position the member will be rigidly supported by the shaft.

A spring arm 50 is mounted on casing 26 and arranged to engage one of.the arms of plate 36 (see Fig. 'n and acts to rotate the shaft 2s in hdirection rst to raise the latch member from its lowest position, inwhich it rests on lthe face 23 of projection 22, to its highest positionshown in Fig. 3 and to continue the rotation of said shaft until itsshoulder 28 is carried fora substantial distance beneath the projection46, this movement by spring 50 being limited by a stop pin 5I in casing20, which engages arm 36 (see Fig. 9). With this arrangement it willtherefore be necessary to turn the handle 35 fully half the distancethrough which it may be turned before the cam face 26is moved pastshoulder 43 to permit the latch member to be lowered.

A supplemental means is provided for operating shaft 26 from the innerside of the door, usually termed the'remote control, which comprises alever 52, which is mounted on a pivot 53 in the inner side of casing 2liand is provided with an arm 54 which is arranged to engage the lug 32 onplate 30. A link 55 is connected to said latch by a pivot 56 and has ahandle 51 thereon which projects internally of the door, (see Figs. 2and 8), so that when the link is pulled, the arm 54 will swing the plate30 in the direction to rotate shaft 26 to permit the latch member 46to'be lowered. The lever 52 is also provided with a tooth 56 which, whenthe link 55 is pushed towards the edge of the door to its fullestextent, will extend beneath the under side'of pla-te 36, soi-that iff-itshould be attempted to turn the handle 35, so as to lower the latchmember, this movement will be prevented. "I'he lever 52 thus has threepositions viz a locking position, shown in Fig. 8, an operating positionin which it has acted to lower the latch member and an intermediateposition in which operation by the exterior handle 35 is permitted. Asmall spring 59 is engaged with the shaft 34 and acts to hold arm 38against stop pin 5| when shaft 26 is operated by theremote control means55.

As shown-in Figs. 10 and 1l the striker member, which cooperates withthe projection 22 and latch member 4l) above described, comprises arectangular shaped casing 60, which is set into the jamb, and isprovided with a horizontal supporting portion 6i, having a downwardlyinclined outer end, so arranged that the under side of the projection 22will engage said inclined end as the door is closed, and ride up on thesame, so that when the door is fully closed, it will be rmly supportedthereon, and the top-face 46, of the latch member 46, will thus be heldat a predetermined level with relation tothe striker means now to bedescribed.

A series of striker fingers, or plates 62 cooperate with face 46 to holdthe door closed, said plates being arranged side by side and suspendedat their upper ends on a rod 64, which extends horizontally between, andis supported by the front and rear walls of the striker casing, said rodpassing loosely therethru, so that said plates may swing inwardlythereon to a limited, but sumcient extent. z

Each plate 62 has a pair of rounded projections 63 on its inner side,arranged at the same level',

as shown in Fig. l2, the projections on the outermost plate beingarranged close to the upper end thereof and on the other plates atsuccessively at a distance below the level at which the plate' engagesthe projections 63 onthe next plate in front. With this arrangement thespring 65 acts to swing all the plates outwardly, so that the outermostplate is held against the outer wall of casing 66 in an approximatelyvertical position as shown in Fig. l0, and the lower ends of said platesare held in engagement with each other successively, the outermost plateacting as a stop for the others, and said projections 63 acting to holdsaid plates separated above their lower ends, so that they are slightlyinclined forwardly from their upper ends as shown in Fig. 10. As thusarranged each plate is pivotally engaged with the next adjacent by meansof projections 63. The

Alower ends of plates 62 are preferably beveled -to a sharp edge fromtheir inner to their outer below the level of the top surface 46 of thelatch o member, when in raised position, and when the supportingprojection 22 t reof is resting on the surface 6i off-the striker as thedoor swings inwa dly towards its fully closed position, the strikerplates are engaged by the latch 40 and swung inwardly to a sulcientextent to permit the latch to pass thereunder, as.

shown in Fig. 1l. In this position the spring 65 acts to press the sharpedge at the lower end of each plate rmly against the top surface of thelatch, and, as the top ends of said striker plates are rmly engaged withthe striker casing, it

will be apparent that any tendency of the door to move outwardly willcause the striker plates to bite into the top surface 46 of the latch,which will be preferably made of soft steel, so that the asing.Consequently,

door will be pomtively locked against opening movement. With thearrangement shown, the greater the tendency to force the door open, thegreater will be the force with which the striker plates will be engagedwith the latch, so that all tendency to force the door open will beeffectively resisted. The entire top surface of the latch member may besmooth, but a safety groove 61 is preferably formed therein andadditional grooves may be provided if desired, but will ordinarily beunnecessary, as slight indentations will be formed in surface 46 by use.Under all conditions, however, the door will be firmly locked againstopening movement in any position to which it may be moved after it hasbeen closed to a sufficient extent to permit one of the striker platesto be engaged with the surface of the latch member, assuming, of course,that the latch member is held in its raised position shown in Fig. 11,in which position it is rigidly supported by the shaft 26, downwardpressure on the latch having no tendency to move the shaft from thisposition.

If, however, the shaft 26 is turned to the position of Fig. 4 by eitherhandle 35 or 51, as before described, the latch dll will be permittedto' move downward to such an extent that it will be .disengaged from thestriker plates, so that the door will be free to open. A comparativelyslight movement of either handle will have no eiect in permitting thelatch member to be lowered, as the shaft 26 must be turned for aconsiderable distance before the latch will be disengaged from thestriker plates, so that accidental opening of,

the door is unlikely.

It will be apparent that the particular number of striker platesemployed is not essential, as the device will operate with a singleplate, but the number shown is considered preferable. Also, that in theclosed, or nearly closed positions of the inner plate will be swunginward to a slightly greater extent thanthe next outer plate, so thatthe outermost plate will be held at only a slight forward inclinationfrom the perpendicular to the top surface of the latch, while thisinclination will be slightly increased, with respect to the otherplates, from the outermost inward. It will be apparent that the lockingeect of each striker plate will be the greatest when in a positionnearly perpendicular to the surface of the latch, as, for example, whenin the position of the outermost plate in Fig. ll, so that, when in thisposition, there would be no necessity in having the lower end of theplate so sharp that it will bite into the surface of the latch, but withthe plate held in a more inclined position the necessity of having theplate sharp at its lower end would be greater.

While a single plate, held in the position of the outermost plate ofFig. 1l, would be sufiicient to hold the door closed, it is conceivablethat, after extended use, the top surface of the latch might become worndown, so that the outermost plate might not hold at all, but as the nextinnery plate is held with its lower end at a slightly lower level thanthe outermost plate, it will engage the surface of the latch withsuflicient force to lock it against outward movement. Consequently withthe above described arrangement provision is made for a substantialwearing down of the top surface of the latch.

It will be obvious that the same result would be secured by making eachstriker plate of slightly increased length from the outermost inward, orby having the top surface of the latch slightly vinclined upward fromthe outer side inward, both do not interfere with the window glass z,which may be extended into close proximity to the inner side of the doorpillar, as shown in Fig. 2.

While the above described means for controlling the position of thelatch member, is the simplest, most durable and least expensive tomanufacture of any other means of which I am at; present aware, it willbe apparent that other means may be employed in lieu thereof withoutdeparting from my invention, when considered in its broader aspects.

l claim:

l. A latch device for doors comprising a casing adapted to be mounted inthe edge portion of the door and having a rigid projection arranged toextend beyond the. edge of the door in position to be engaged atitsbottom side with a supporting face on the jamb, a latch member on thetop side of said projection and guided thereby to move perpendieularlyrelative thereto, said member having a transversely exending face on itstop side arranged for engagement with the jamb, operating means in saidprojection beneath said member, movable to control the verticalpositions thereof, and controlling means vfor said operating means.

2. A latch device for doors comprising a casing having a rigidprojection arranged to extend beyond the edge of the door, a verticallymovable latch member mounted on said projection having means to engagethe same to guide it in its vertical movements, and having a face on itstop side arranged for engagement with the jamb when in its raisedposition, a cam shaft extending beneath said member and arrangedto `bemoved rotatably to control the vertical positions thereof and to lock itin its raised position, an arm connected to said shaft and extendingtransversely thereof within the casing and operating means on the casingarranged to engage said arm.

3. A latch device for doors comprising a casing having aI rigidprojection arranged to extend beyond the edge of the door, a verticallymovable latch member mounted on said projection having means to engagethe same to guide it in its vertical movements, and having a face on itstop side arranged for engagement with the jamb when in its raisedposition, operating means extending beneath said latch member andmovable to control the vertical positions thereof, a spring normallyacting to move said operating means to hold said member in .its raised'position, locking means within the casing arranged to be moved into aposition to lock said operating means when holding said member in itsraised position.

4. A latch device for doors comprising a casing having 9, rigidprojection arranged to extend beyond'4 the edge of the door, avvertically movable latch member mounted on said projection having meansto engage the same to guide it in its vertical movements, andhaving aface on its top side arranged for engagement with the jamb when in itsraised position, operating means extending beneath said latch member andmovable to control the vertical positions thereof, va spring normallyacting to move said operating means to hold said member in its raisedposition, a dog mounted within said casing and movable to one positionto move said operating means in the direction to'permit said member tobe lowered and movable to another position to lock said operating meansagainst such movement, and a controlling means for said dog.

5. A latch device for doors comprising a 7U-, form casing adapted to befitted to the 'edge portion ofthe door, said casing having a rigidprojection mounted on its middle portion arranged to project beyond theedge of the door in position to engage the jamb at its bottom side, alatch member on the top side of said projection perpendicularly movablerelative thereto and having a face on its top side arranged forengagement with the jamb, in the raised position thereof, a cam shaftextending into said projection from the interior of said casing andhaving a cam face arranged for engagement with the bottom side of saidmember andv rotatably movable to control the vertical positions thereof,an arm connected to said shaft within the casing, and operating means onthe casing for said arm.

6. A latch device for doors comprising a U- form casing adapted to befitted to the edgeportion of 'the door, said casing having a rigidprojection mounted on its middle portion arranged to project beyond theedge of the door in position to engage the jamb at its bottom side, alatch member on the top side of said projection perpendicularly movablerelative thereto and having a face on its top side arranged forengagemenfl with the jamb in the raised position thereof, a cam shaftextending into said projection from the interior of said casing andhaving a cam face arranged for engagement with the bottom side of saidmember and rotatable to control the vertical positions thereof, an armon the inner end of said cam shaft, a lever pivoted on one side of saidcasing and arranged to engage the arm of said cam shaft, and means foroperating said lever to operate said cam shaft.

7. A latch device for doors comprising a U- form casing adapted to befitted to the edge portion of the docrT-said casinghaving a rigidprojection mounted on its middle portion arranged to project beyond theedge of the door vmember and to hold it in raised position, and,

operating means on. the casing arranged to engage said arm and to rotatesaid shaft in the direction to permit said member to be lowered.

8. A latch device for doors comprising a casing having a rigidprojection arranged to extend beyond the edge of the doors, a'verticallymovable latch member mounted on,l said projectionand h'aving ahorizontally extending faceV on its top side arranged for engagementwith the jamb 'when in raised position, a cam shaft rotatably mountedbeneath said member and having a cylindrical portion .and a recessedportion providing a radially disposed cam face adjacent thereto,

-said latch member having atransverse face on` its under side and ashoulder at one end of said face arranged to be engaged by said cam faceon rotation of said shaft in one direction, whereby said member' willfirst be raised and then the cylindrical portion 'of said shaft will beengaged with said face to provide a rigid support for the member in theraised position thereof.

9. A latch device for `doors comprising a vertically movable latchmember adapted to project from the door and having a' top face arrangedfor engagement with the jamb when in raised p sition, and adapted to beheld by a downward d inward thrust thereon to 'hold the member againstoutward movement, and operating means for said member arranged-tocontrol the vertical movements thereof and. normally acting to hold thesame in raised position and movable to permit downward movement thereofand disengagement thereof from the'jamb, to permit the member to moveoutward.

10. A latch device for doors comprising a latch member adapted to bemounted on the door and to project horizontally therefrom, said memberhaving a jamb engaging face on -its top side, and operating means forraising and lowering said member normally actuated. to hold the same inraised position operatively to engage the face thereof withthe jamb andto be held against outward movement by an obliquely inward and downwardthrust of the jamb thereon, said member being downwardly movable whenreleased by said operating means to disengage its face therefrom andpermit it to move outwardly.

11. A latch mechanism for doors adapted for cooperation with keeper-means pivotally suspended from the jamb and having a bottom facearranged to be carried inwardly and upwardly thereby, a verticallymovable latch member adapted to project from the dor and having anengagingface on its top si operating means therefor arranged to contrpthe vertical positions of said member andvprmally acting to hold thesame in its raised position, in which position its top face is held inposition to engage the face of the keeper means and move the same inwardand upward during its inward movement and is locked against outwardmovement by the inward and downward thrust of the keeper thereon, and isdisengaged from the keeper when per-l mitted to move downward by said.operating means.

12'. A latch mechanism for doors adapted for cooperation with a pawlpivotally suspended from the jamb, and arranged to swing inwardly from`the vertical, a vertically movable latch member adapted to project fromthe door and having a horizontally extending top face, operating meansfor controlling the vertical positions of said member normally actuatedto hold the same in its raised position, in which position the lower endof the pawl is adapted -to engage said face, and by its inward anddownward thrust thereon act to hold said member against outward move- M1ment and to be disengaged therefrom by down` 65' ward movement of thelatch member from its normally raised position.

13. A latch device for doors comprising a latch member having ahorizontally disposed face arranged for engagement, a jamb member whichis actuated to move a face thereon obliquely outward and towards theface of the latch member, said latch member being vertically movabletowards and from the jamb member between: an engaging and a disenswinlposition, and oper- Y jection adapted to be rigidly mounted on theposition, whereby the thrust action of the jambv member against the faceof latch member may act to hold the latch member against outwardhorizontal movement, said movement being permitted when the latch memberis permitted to move to its disengaging position.

14. A latch device for doors comprising a vertically movable latchmember adapted to project.' from the door and having an engaging face onits top side, operating means therefor arranged to control theverticalmovement of said member and normally acting to hold and lock thesame in its raised position, in which position the face thereofisarranged to engage the face of a keeper on the jamb,'which is adaptedto be moved inwardly and upwardly by said member as the latter ismovedinwardly and to move downwardly and outwardly tov lock said memberagainst outward movement, said operating means being movable to lowersaid member to disengage it from the'face of the keeper.

15. A latch device for doors comprising a projection adapted to berigidly mounted on the door and to extend horizontally therefrom inposition to be supported by the jamb at a predetermined level, a latchmember on the top side of said projection arranged to be movedvertically relatively thereto, and operating means adapted to be mounteden the door and to control the vertical movements of said member, saidoperatdoor and to extend horizontally therefrom in position to beengaged at its bottom side by the jamb, to support the door at apredetermined level, a latch member arranged for vertical movement onthe top side of said projection and having a face on its top side,arranged for' engagement with the jamb when in raised position, andoperating means rotatably movable to raise and lower said member andnormally actuated to hold said member in raised position.

17. A latch device for doors comprising a vertically movable latchmember adapted to project from the door and having a horizontallyextending face on its top side arranged for engagement with the jamb inamultiplicity of positions of the door when the member is in raisedposition, to lock the door against opening movement in any of its saidpositions, and operating means for controlling the vertical positions ofsaid member, normally actuated to hold said member in raised positionand movable to permit the same to be lowered, andto dsengage it from thejamb.

18. A latch device for doors comprising a projection adapted to berigidly mounted on the door and to extend horizontally. therefrom inposition to be supported by the jamb, a vertically movable latch membermounted on said projection, and having a face on its top side arrangedfor engagement with the jamb when in raised position, to lock the dooragainst opening movement and a controlling `device movable within saidprojection beneath said member to 'control the vertical movementsthereof and normally actuated to lock the same in raised position.

19. A latch device for doors comprising a vertically movable latchmember adapted to pro'- ject from the door and having a face on its topside arranged for engagement with the jamb when in raised position, arotatably movable controlling device disposed beneath said member andhaving a cam face arranged to engage the under side thereof and to raiseand lower the same on opposite rotational movements of said controllingdevice and actuating means for said controlling device normally actingto raise said member and hold it in raised position.

20. A latch device for doors comprising a vertically movable latchmember adapted to project from the door and having a top face arranged

